Fluffy Butt Acres: Stories of our flock

[featherhead007]

An experiment. I had this cage thingy for wild birds. But since Avian Influenza I have stopped feeding the wild birds not sure why really as they hang out here anyway!
So I tried this for corn on the cob. I think it is a bit too swingy. But Maggie in particular is quite skillful at timing her lunges with the swing.
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I need advice on Maggie’s rear end. It is in a shocking state. She is sleeping in the nest box and that combined with her perpetual diarrhea and of course her very fluffy butt is a terrible combination.
I could wash or trim or crumble it off - but I don’t want to handle her too much until she is less like a porcupine. If she keeps sleeping in the box it will get worse and worse.
It is getting cooler so I suppose fly strike is a bit less of a worry.
If her fluff is old she will molt it off naturally, but I am not sure - her fluff might be new feathers.
I am wondering whether to block off the nest boxes and force her to roost. She is perfectly capable of going up the ladder. At least I think she is. And I could always giver her a lift her up and down if she seems to have trouble.
What do you all think?

Maybe a warm bath?

 

[RoyalChick]

Maybe a warm bath?

Hmmm. Getting a bit chilly for that. And I have to say I usually find wet makes poopy feathers worse. The poop comes off easier when dry, but maybe I am doing it wrong.

 

[Ponypoor]

Not a lot of drinking going on today as there has been a hawk and now an eagle circling above us all morning and afternoon. I got a few of Théo and one from two days ago.
First I was photo bombed...
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But then I managed to get this fun one
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Nougat was the only other chicken kind enough to drink
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And this is from Tuesday, Brune drinking and Cannelle behind.
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Wow would you look at that backdrop!!

And the chickies are lovely too

 

[Kris5902]

You are serious that people are not providing feed but just scratch. Yikes!

Or in completely opposite amounts “Those pellets are they don’t like them. Same with the wheat berries in the scratch, everything eats all the rest of the scratch, even the songbirds don't like that wheat…” well if you give a kid a bowl full of candy and a bowl of salad, what are they going to do??? Pick through said candy for their favorites, then stuff themselves on the rest of the sugar bombs, maybe pick at the salad… then feel sick for a couple days. And there’s the old “all we used to give them was a little scratch back in the day” mentality too. Because whole grains and cracked corn lasted longer so when barging feed in, it was a better purchase. People drive me nuts, I swear… would you feed your dog only milk bone treats, or your cat temptations? Can you not read the labels? Oh and the feed bags now say “scratch, poultry Supplement” that’s a change in the last year or two. One lady (with about double my numbers) orders it by the pallet and is still constantly running short. That’s like 2500 lbs of scratch a month!

 

[Lexicon]

This is how my raccoons and I have a truce. They can eat feed, as long as they leave my chickens alone… but with a bag of laying pellets now at $22 each, and Scratch at $26, l may have to cut them off a little more. (I take all my feeders and secure them in garbage bins or totes at night, but usually there’s some spillage)

I am grateful that we don't have racoons here! The little vole fell for our trap and is no more. I know there are plenty of others, but hopefully not inside the coop.

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I’m going to regret saying that!

Since you made that comment I've been plotting on how to ship all the boys to you.

 

[Ponypoor]

Thirsty Thursday. Courtesy of Maggie.
I was excited I caught the drip rings. The drip comes off her wattle because she always dunks them in the water when she stabs at the bowl to make sure the water is fully dead before she drinks it!

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Wow that’s a perfect picture! Please submit to POW

 

[rural mouse]

I am not the least bit artsy-fartsy burns can sing and tap-dance

The chickies and horses seem to appreciate my singing to them (at least I haven’t heard any complaints!)… yet!

Hey, I can't dance so...

 

[RebeccaBoyd]

I went out to check on the girls and we are now up to 4. Bunny has had 2 more hatch. Raven has from what I can tell 2 more eggs pipped.
Now for what everyone is waiting for....pictures.
Bunny's 3

Raven and her chick.

I adore this picture

 

[rural mouse]

Since you made that comment I've been plotting on how to ship all the boys to you.

Have him come get them or talk to the hatcheries that ship started birds.